What is constantly on your mind?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ^©

These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.
(Deuteronomy 6:6-7 (NIV))

If you constantly talk about something, what will you constantly think about?

If you constantly think about something, how will your actions be effected?

I don’t know about you, but I believe that God had a purpose to this verse. He created us. He knows that we are wired to act out what we think about. If we think about money, we become greedy. If we think about power, we become obsessed with it. If we think about righteousness, then our actions will start to become righteous.

In helping my children study, I have a saying that they are probably tired of hearing. I tell them that they must repeat what they are trying to learn until it becomes ingrained within their minds and they can answer without thinking. It becomes a part of them. This is what God is telling us to do. We are to reflect upon His commandments until we know them so well that we do them out of knowledge and love.

What is the one thing that you know so well that you can quote details to anybody who asks, and possibly to those who don’t even ask? How did you get to be so knowledgeable about that subject? What if you applied the same earnestness toward God’s commandments? What would the outcome be? What would your life be like? What would other people say about you? What would God say about you?

What is constantly on your mind? What does your mind treasure? Is it God’s commandments?

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
(Matthew 6:21 (NIV))

Think about them?

Copyright 1998 – 2015 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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Preach always. When necessary, use words.

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ^©

Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.
(1 John 3:18 (NIV))

It is so easy to hear only part of what is said and as a result, the whole meaning is completely different from what is intended. Even words of friendship, fellowship and love can be misunderstood if we do not have a direct insight into the mind of the person who is speaking.

Why are our words so easily misunderstood?

Perhaps it is because we are sinful by nature and we seek self gratification even when we don’t realize it. I have heard it stated that when two people are in a conversation, the person who is supposedly listening is actually formulating what he or she will say next. This is done in order to ensure that we will get our point across. We are simply guilty of not truly listening to each other and as a result, we hear only a partial transcript. We miss many points that are relevant to the discussion.

How is it different when we love with actions and in truth?

Simply put, we are willing to place our desires as secondary to what is needed by the other person. It is a true form of agape love. When you love with actions and in truth, you are willing to step beyond your self-gratification and simply do something for someone else. You are willing to die to your desires so that others may see love just as Jesus died on the cross so that we could see love.

How do we love with actions and in truth?

It is a matter of attitude. We simply chose to do things for others because Jesus did such a great thing for us, and for all. If Jesus had come to simply preach and teach, it would have not had the same impact or the same results. In order for His ministry to succeed, it required an act of love and not just words. Salvation was not purchased through His teachings. It was purchased through His blood and the cross. Perhaps this is why the following words have had such an impact since they were first recorded.

Preach always. When necessary, use words.
(St. Francis of Assisi)

How are you preaching?

Copyright 1998 – 2014 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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Live as if He means something to us

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ^©

Come, let us bow down in worship,
let us kneel before the LORD our Maker;
for he is our God
and we are the people of his pasture,
the flock under his care.
(Psalms 95:6-7a (NIV))

Does this sound familiar?

On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh.
(Matthew 2:11 (NIV))

The Magi, who were kings in their own right, bowed down to Jesus. They kneeled before Him. They recognized just who it was that they had found. They worshipped Jesus and gave Him honor. They had been seeking Him and recognized the star that guided them to Jesus. They went out of their way to find Jesus and to worship Him.

Do we do that?

Do we go out of our way to find Jesus? Do we go out of our way to worship Him?

Think about those questions.

Would we travel across deserts to find Jesus? Would we face harsh conditions in order to see His face and to be in His presence? Would we bring gifts of great worth to lay at His feet?

Would we, do we, kneel before Him? Do we even give Jesus the honor and glory that is due to the Son of God?

Have we become complacent in our worship? Have we become jaded by the world? Have we been led to believe that Jesus is not worthy of our praise and worship?

It has been the custom for centuries to bow before royalty. We have a tendency to focus on the savior part of Jesus and ignore the Lord part. Do we treat Jesus as the King of kings and Lord of lords, or do we simply treat Him as an acquaintance that we give lip service to for an hour a week?

If Jesus is our Savior and our Lord, then we must live as if He means something to us.

Copyright 1998 – 2012 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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Cultivate your faith!

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ^©

Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
(1 Peter 1:8-9 (NIV))

This just about sums up a faith in Jesus. We have not physically seen Him, yet we love Him and trust in Him. We believe in Him even though we have not seen Him. We believe the words that He spoke are the truth. His words fill us with a joy and a peace that passes all understanding. We have developed a faith that Jesus is who He claims to be.

Let’s take a harder look at faith.

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
(Hebrews 11:1 (NIV))

Are you sure of your hope in Jesus? Is your faith strong enough to withstand a trial by fire? Will you deny Jesus when faced with a situation that you don’t see any other way out of? Will you deny Jesus to save your physical life?

Are you certain that your salvation rests solely in the nail scarred hands that long to welcome you? Will you turn from salvation in your moment of fear?

Faith is like a muscle. It must be exercised in order to be made strong. Even just a little faith can grow. Don’t simply place your faith in Jesus and then never do anything to build that faith. Cultivate your faith through prayer, reading, study, and trusting in God as you put your faith into action so that it may grow.

Copyright 1998 – 2012 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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